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What changes the cost of a new bathroom?
The Federation of Master Builders renovation guide of 5 June 2026 says the average cost of a new bathroom is around £5,000 [S6]. Prices vary by the job and the location, and QuoteZila does not set prices.
Last reviewed:What a new bathroom involves
Replacing a bathroom brings together plumbing, tiling, electrics, joinery, plastering and sometimes flooring and decorating. A typical refit takes out the old suite and tiles, alters pipes and waste, prepares walls and floors, fits the new bath or shower, toilet and basin, tiles or panels the walls, deals with lighting and ventilation, and finishes with sealing, flooring and decorating.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. The Federation of Master Builders renovation guide of 5 June 2026 says the average cost of a new bathroom is around £5,000 [S6]. The same page says that figure is a starting point, not a quote, and that the final price depends on location, specification, site access and defects such as damp or poor wiring [S6]. It is not a Cheshire price. Prices vary by the job and the location, and QuoteZila does not set prices.
Products and labour
A bathroom quote has two halves, and it helps to see them separately:
- Products. The bath or shower tray, shower enclosure or screen, shower valve, toilet, basin, taps, furniture, radiator or towel rail, tiles or wall panels, flooring, lighting and extractor fan.
- Labour. Removal of the old bathroom, plumbing, electrics, plastering, tiling, fitting and decorating.
Some fitters supply everything, some fit products you buy, and some work alongside a showroom. Each approach is fine, but you need to know who is responsible if a product is faulty, late or the wrong size.
Choosing the layout and the shower
Layout and shower choice drive much of the work:
- Keeping the layout. Leaving the toilet, basin and bath or shower where they are usually means the least pipework.
- Moving the toilet. The soil pipe needs to move with it, and it needs a steady fall, so this is often the most involved change.
- Bath to shower. Taking out a bath for a walk-in shower or shower tray changes the waste, the walls and sometimes the floor.
- Wet rooms. A level-access shower with the floor sloped to a drain needs the floor built up or lowered and fully waterproofed.
- Electric showers. These need a suitable dedicated circuit from the consumer unit.
- Mixer showers. These rely on the hot water supply and the water pressure, so the fitter will ask about your boiler or cylinder.
Tell each fitter what you want to change and ask what extra work it brings.
What changes a bathroom quote
| What changes | Why it matters | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Suite and shower | Products vary widely, and some need more fitting work | Which products, and who supplies them? |
| Layout changes | Moving the toilet or shower means new pipes and waste | Which items move, and what does that involve? |
| Removal and disposal | The old suite and tiles have to come out and go | Is removal and a skip included? |
| Walls | Old tiles can damage plaster, and walls may need boarding | Will walls be boarded, plastered or tanked? |
| Tiling | Full-height tiling, large tiles and patterns take longer | How much tiling, and is tile supply included? |
| Floor | Rotten boards or uneven floors need fixing first | What if the floor is damaged once the suite is out? |
| Electrics | Lights, fans, mirrors and electric showers need registered work [S2] | Who does the electrics, and what certificate will I get? |
| Ventilation | Steam needs to go somewhere | Is a new or upgraded extractor fan included? |
| Heating | A towel rail or radiator may need moving or replacing | Is the radiator or towel rail part of the price? |
| Waterproofing | Showers and wet rooms need a waterproof finish | What waterproofing will you use? |
| Decorating | Ceilings and walls usually need painting after | Is decorating included? |
| VAT | Register if taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000 [S4] | Does the total include VAT? |
If one quote is much lower, check removal, wall preparation, waterproofing, electrics, ventilation and decorating. Those lines are often missing from a headline price.
Water, electrics and building regulations
Bathrooms combine water and electricity, which is why the rules are tighter than in most rooms.
- Plumbing. GOV.UK lists installing a bathroom that involves plumbing among work that may need building regulations approval, and says you do not need to arrange it yourself if the installer is registered with a competent person scheme [S1]. WaterSafe lists approved plumbers you can search [S5].
- Electrics. The Planning Portal says that in England notifiable electrical work includes a new circuit, a new consumer unit or fuse box, and alteration work around baths and showers, and that a registered installer can self-certify [S2]. Find a registered electrician through Electrical Safety First, the NICEIC or NAPIT.
Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician; NICEIC; NAPIT. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
GOV.UK: building regulations approval. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
This page gives no steps for plumbing or electrical work. Ask the fitter which certificates you will receive when the work is finished, and keep them with your house papers.
Surprises once the old bathroom is out
Bathrooms often hide problems until the suite and tiles come off. Common examples include:
- Rotten floorboards around the toilet or bath from slow leaks.
- Loose or damaged plaster behind old tiles.
- Old pipework that is corroded or not suited to the new fittings.
- A soil pipe or waste that cannot easily be moved where you want.
- Joists that have been notched too deeply by past plumbing.
A good fitter will warn you about likely surprises and agree in advance how extra work will be priced. Ask for this in writing before the job starts.
Choosing finishes that last
Bathrooms take a lot of water and steam, so finishes are worth choosing with upkeep in mind:
- Wall tiles or panels. Tiles come in many sizes and finishes. Large tiles mean fewer grout lines but need flat walls. Wall panels go up quickly and have few joints, but the range of looks is narrower.
- Grout and sealant. Light grout shows marks sooner. Ask what grout and silicone the fitter uses, and how often the sealant may need redoing.
- Floors. Vinyl, tiles and some laminates made for bathrooms cope with water. Ask whether underfloor heating is worth fitting while the floor is up.
- Taps and valves. Ask whether spare parts are easy to get for the brand you choose.
- Furniture. Vanity units and cabinets need to cope with damp. Ask about the materials.
- Ventilation. An extractor fan that is the right size for the room, run for long enough, protects every other finish.
Keep the product names, colours and tile batches written down. They make repairs and matching much easier later.
Before you ask for quotes
You will get more useful quotes if you:
- Measure the room and photograph it from the door and from each corner.
- Decide what stays and what moves.
- Choose a shower type and note your boiler or hot water cylinder.
- Decide on tiling. Full height, half height, or panels.
- Think about storage, such as vanity units, cabinets and shelves.
- Plan for the time without a bathroom, especially if it is the only one.
How to compare bathroom quotes
Citizens Advice says a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is only a guess [S3]. It suggests written quotes from at least three traders, and that where a deposit cannot be avoided, it should be as low as possible and no more than 25% [S3]. For a bathroom, ask each quote to state:
- The layout drawing or description the price is based on.
- Every product, with makes and models, and who supplies it.
- Removal and disposal of the old bathroom.
- Wall and floor preparation, boarding, plastering and waterproofing.
- Tiling, including tile supply and the area.
- Plumbing, electrics and ventilation, with the registered trades named.
- Heating, such as a towel rail or radiator.
- Decorating and sealing.
- Payment stages, start date and how long the job will take.
- Whether VAT is included. A business must register for VAT when its taxable turnover goes over £90,000 [S4].
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Replacing a dated bathroom with the same layout. New bath with shower over, toilet, basin, and tiling to full height."
- "Want to take out the bath and fit a walk-in shower. Need the electrics and extractor fan sorted too."
- "Small shower room in the loft needs a full refit. Floor feels soft by the toilet."
Say the size of the room, what is staying and what is changing, the type of shower and whether you have chosen any products.
Get quotes from bathroom fitters
Describe the bathroom and your postcode. Up to five matched local businesses can send you a quote [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See our bathroom fitters, plumbers, tilers and electricians pages, the plumber cost guide and the electrician cost guide.
Questions about bathroom prices
How much does a new bathroom cost?
The Federation of Master Builders renovation guide of 5 June 2026 says the average cost of a new bathroom is around £5,000. The same page says the final price depends on location, specification, site access and defects found once work starts. Prices vary by the job and the location, and QuoteZila does not set prices. Ask fitters for itemised written quotes that separate the products from the labour.
Does a new bathroom need building regulations approval?
It may. GOV.UK lists installing a bathroom that involves plumbing among work that may need building regulations approval, and says you do not need to arrange it yourself if the installer is registered with a competent person scheme. Ask the fitter what certificates you will receive.
Can a bathroom fitter do the electrics?
Only if they are registered for electrical work, or they bring in an electrician who is. The Planning Portal says alteration work around baths and showers is notifiable in England, and that a registered installer can self-certify it. Ask who will do the lights, fan and any shower wiring.
Does moving the toilet cost more?
Usually, because the soil pipe has to move too, and a toilet needs a large pipe with a steady fall. Moving a basin or bath is often simpler. Ask each fitter to price the layout you want and a like-for-like layout so you can see the difference.
How long does a bathroom refit take?
It depends on the size of the job and the trades involved, so this page does not give a figure. Ask each fitter for a written programme, including how long you will be without a toilet or shower, and what happens if they find rotten floorboards or damaged walls.
How big a deposit should I pay?
Citizens Advice suggests keeping any deposit as low as possible and no more than 25% of the price where a deposit cannot be avoided. If the fitter is ordering the suite and tiles, ask what the deposit covers and get a receipt.
Does QuoteZila check the businesses?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
Part of Cost guides. All services
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Related pages
- Walk-In Bath Cost: What Changes the Price. What changes the cost of a walk-in bath in Cheshire: door and seat type, size, fitting, hot water and power, plus the GOV.UK grant and VAT relief rules.
- Walk-In Shower Cost: What Changes the Price. What changes the cost of a walk-in shower in Cheshire: tray or wet room, drainage, tiling, the shower and electrics, plus the GOV.UK disabled facilities grant.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ and app README.
- S1: Building regulations approval, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval
- S2: Electrics: building regulations general information, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/electrics/building-regulations-general-information
- S3: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S4: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S5: WaterSafe Register home page, WaterSafe. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.watersafe.org.uk/
- S6: How much does a house renovation cost?, Federation of Master Builders. Accessed 2026-10-30. https://www.fmb.org.uk/resource/how-much-does-a-house-renovation-cost.html